Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Miracle Patient

Another good report from MDA! (& I hereby apologize for not updating here before now...I got my chops busted twice within 50 feet of walking into church for not updating my blog! *smile*)

Many are the thoughts & emotions this news evokes. (Rest easy though...I'll not be trying to capture all of them here...*smile*)

Basically, the same spot that showed up last year is still there. Right @ the end of one of the previous surgery scars. IMPORTANT BOTTOM LINE: Dr. Homsi's not worried about it; neither is the radiologist who read the scan. Next thing on the cancer list: another followup scan in early February. *smile*

We feel extremely fortunate to be where we are:June, 08 - stage IV metastatic melanoma in both lungs...Sept, 09 - skipping appts w/ the surgeon because of good P.E.T. results.Amazing...simply amazing...

As long as we're heading out there for these periodic scans--which will likely be for a long time to come--we feel that it's unlikely to get a scan result that says "nothing we can do; get your affairs in order." That makes the drives out there slightly easier to bear. At least, we think so.

My overwhelming reaction to Tuesday's good results came when we got off the elevator & walked into the lobby. I was almost instantly overwhelmed with a strong desire to say in a loud voice in the lobby: "There's hope! Look @ me! God's still on his throne & still does miracles!" I didn't do that, in case you're wondering...but I choked up pretty substantially at the mere thought...

The nurse practitioner said that Dr. H. refers to me as his "miracle patient". I'll take that...Here's how good the visit went...Dr. Homsi spent a fair amount of time asking & getting a detailed response to this question: "so how's your son's pharmacy program going?" I'll take that too...

Every visit out there--as mentioned previously here--takes me deep into my theology & my beliefs about God's dealings with us "jars of clay." (1 Cor. 4:7). This particular one was no exception, in that I thought much on God's sovereignty. Especially on the ride home. If you're wondering, I haven't the vaguest clue why I got another good report, while much better men & women don't get such good reports. Sure, many were praying, which is the most humbling thing I can imagine, and for which I am most grateful. But many others are similarly prayed for who still get less-desirable results. And rest totally assured, that my results have zero to do with any innate goodness I possess that others do not! I guarantee you that this is not the case. I know some awesome servants of God & man who have not gotten such great news from a visit to MDA.

My "conclusions" (such as they are):--We worship and serve a sovereign God, Who holds the universe and us people in the palm of His mighty hand--His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)--He is UTTERLY & COMPLETELY able to work such that ALL hear "rise, take up your mat, and walk." As was said this morning in church, & has been said elsewhere, if Jesus had not said "Lazarus, come forth!" all of the graves would've emptied at His power...--Yet sometimes, He does heal and sometimes He doesn't, except for what Wayne Watson calls "the Ultimate healing."--What we see as earthly cause & effect...or lack thereof...is somehow part of His plan--He always answers prayers; sometimes "Yes"...sometimes "Not like that"...sometimes "Not Yet"...and sometimes "No"...--He is always good, regardless of the desirability of a particular set of scan results!!--I'll not understand all of this fully until I stand before Him complete, at which point all questions will fade away...

Until then, I will celebrate Him and thank Him for His grace in healing me on earth. And I will always worship...

In His Strong, Loving Grip,bb

p.s. - THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!! We are so very humbled to be living on them...

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”Job 26:14

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 1:21b, 22

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? Exodus 15:11

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. Psalm 71:17-20

1 comment:

It was great to see your smiling face Friday at Carey. God knows that you are needed in the teaching business. Your students are fortunate to have a Godly man not only being their professor but one who professes his faith to others. Love you and praying daily for you, Dr. M.